The aftermath of asbestos usage in the United States has left an often tragic and even devastating path of destruction for exposure victims. For close to 100 years, between the late 1800s and mid- to late-1900s, millions of people were unknowingly exposed to a toxic and potentially fatal material. Many were exposed at work, while others came into contact with asbestos in their own homes-either from building components used during construction or through a process called secondary exposure.
Life after asbestos goes on with no detectable consequences for many people. But for the small and unfortunate portion that develops an asbestos-linked illness-such as asbestosis, mesothelioma or other forms of cancer-life is never the same again. All of these chronic and pervasive conditions cause significant physical and emotional distress for the victim-and in the case of mesothelioma cancers, death.
There is much information available about asbestos, its consequences and options for legal recourses. To offer victims of asbestos an easy and straightforward guide that is designed to cover a myriad of topics-from veteran exposure and cutting-edge treatment options to choosing a legal representative and taking your personal injury case to court.
PART XXII: INTERVIEWING AN ASBESTOS ATTORNEY
For the final installment of our month-long series on life after, we present you with a simple guide for interviewing an asbestos attorney. Now that you have a wealth of information about your illness and the unethical and/or illegal asbestos exposure that almost certainly caused it, you know that it is time to retain legal counsel and the compensation that you deserve.
Fortunately, interviewing an asbestos attorney at a nationally reputed firm like ours is easy and hassle-free. We offer consultations with one of our thirteen highly qualified asbestos experts at no charge for mesothelioma victims and their families. We serve all 50 states and schedule initial consults within 48 hours after being contacted with a request. And because we know the limitations placed on those undergoing mesothelioma treatment and medical care, we make potential clients’ convenience our top priority-scheduling meetings when and where best suits them and their loved ones.
Once you’ve set up an appointment for an initial consultation, you want to make sure that you go into the meeting prepared. Be ready to give the asbestos attorney you’re matched with as many details of your illness and the circumstances of your exposure as possible. While this meeting is certainly a valuable opportunity for us to gather preliminary information about your potential case, it is, even more importantly, your chance to ask us all your most pressing questions.
To ensure that you get the key legal advice that you need, while also verifying that you’ve found the right firm to handle your case, here is a list of recommended questions to ask during your consultation:
- How much can I expect from a mesothelioma settlement for my case?
- What are my time limits for filing?
- How long do you expect my case to be in litigation or mediation?
- Are there any potential drawbacks or weaknesses you can see in my case so far?
- Will you be the attorney handling my case directly?
- How many years of asbestos litigation experience do you have?
- What are some recent cases you’ve handled and what was their outcome?
- What is the timeframe in your office for returning client phone calls/emails?